


Brave New World

by 1MissMolly



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond - All Media Types, Sherlock - Fandom, Skyfall (2012) - Fandom
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Language, Fluff, Kidnapping, M/M, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-05 04:45:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3106502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1MissMolly/pseuds/1MissMolly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While the operation known as Skyfall was going on, Bond had a justifiable reason for maintaining close proximity to the new Quartermaster, but now, three years later he did not. Bond has decided to finally resolve his “Q” problem.</p><p>After arranging for their first date, Q Branch is blown up, R is murdered and Q is missing. Did Q defect or is there another reason for all of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was surprised by how many hits this story originally got and wanted to expand it. If you've already read this chapter just skip ahead to chapter two.

Brave New World

While the operation known as Skyfall was going on, Bond had a justifiable reason for maintaining close proximity to the new Quartermaster, but now, three years later he did not.

Bond stood leaning against the wall of Q Branch watching the young man work. Q was leading an agent through the back streets of Cairo, as the agent eluded the police while tracking down the drug smugglers. Bond watched as the waif-like Quartermaster tapped on the keys of his laptop while studying the various satellite images of the warren of back streets and allies.

This was the third time Bond had watched Q save another agent. The young man’s mind focused on the job. Shutting the outside world and its distraction away. Bond marveled at how concentrated Q could become, knowing such single mindedness would be the downfall of an agent in the field. It was a good thing the techno geek was never allowed out into the field.

Bond watched as the long graceful fingers of the Quartermaster typed out escape route and police diversions both, saving 004 from certain death. He covertly smiled as he listened to the sharp diction of the young man telling the agent to learn to duck when someone was shoot at him, and to not use his handgun as a hammer. Bond and Q had had similar conversations over the past three years. Most recently during a mission to Brazil where Bond had use his issued laptop as a cricket bat. Slamming the expensive electronic into the bad guy’s head; knocking him unconscious and more cooperative to being searched.

Bond had returned from Rio with a determination to finally resolve his “Q” problem. Bond had spent weeks circling the young man. Moving closer and closer, like a lion on the hunt of a timid prey. They had engaged in a slow and intricate dance waiting for the moment when Bond would spring his trap on the young man.

The staff of Q Branch had even become accustom to the agent’s presence in their lair. At first being frighten, then confused, now comfortable if not slightly wary. Q never once acknowledging the man or his habitation in the department.

As Q finally led 004 to the safe house on the outskirts of Cairo, Bond pushed himself off the wall and slowly walked over to the door of Q’s office. He stood guard by the door waiting for Q to close communications and shut down his station. It only took the young man five minutes of efficient work to do so. Q looked up and around his department. His eyes paused at the spot Bond had been occupying just moments before. He seemed to frown slightly, seeing the agent missing from the wall. Then he turned and saw same said agent standing by his office door. Nervously, Q dipped his head down and adjusted his glasses. Then tipping his head up, Bond saw the young man had regained his neutral expression and stance.

Q walked over to office and nodded to Bond as he walked in.

“007”

“Q” Bond followed the young man in and closed the door behind him.

Q paused before his desk, surprised the agent had followed him into his office. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet watching the older man stalk up to him. Q grabbed his fountain pen off his desk and fumbled with lid.

“Is there something I could do for you, Bond?”

“Yes, Q. I have something to ask you.”

“Ah, yes, what is it?”

Q looked up into the brilliant blue eyes of the agent, then glanced away. The intensity of Bond’s stare could be overwhelming. His fingers twisted the pen and his teeth dragged over his lips.

“I was just wondering . . .” Bond stepped closer. He was in full seduction mode now. Letting his voice dip lower and softer. “Just wondering . . .?” He smiled watching the slight blush tint the pale cheeks of the Quartermaster.

Q blinked several times, then seemed to come back to himself. He uncapped the pen and held it out, extended from his body. Bond pulled the corner of his lip up on one side in a smug smirk.

“It’s not exactly an exploding pen.” Q said in his precise diction. “But it will cause significant damage.”

“I hardly think a stab wound from a Mont Blanc would be lethal.”

“This one would. It works on the principle of a bang stick. Once the nip is pushed up against a hard surface, like a person’s chest, a tiny cartridge inside the tube explodes and pushes the sharp nip deeper into the skin. The nip is laced with a neurotoxin that will then poison the victim, causing paralysis and death.”

Bond stilled, looking down at the normal looking fountain pen held by the slim fingers.

“I thought gadgets weren’t your thing, Q.”

“Neither is being attacked by a double ‘O’.” The man held the pen out, waiting.

Bond slow stepped forward, as his eyes stared into the Q’s hazel ones. Gently, he took the Quartermaster’s wrist in his hand and pushed the extended arm out of the way so he could step closer into Q’s personal space.

“I wouldn’t consider this an attack, more an inquiry.” Bond explained. Q raised an eyebrow.

Bond stepped closer. His eyes traveling up and down the young man’s frame, over the rumpled cardigan with the narrow black tie. The pale white skin and the delicious birthmark low on his left cheek. And the other one just above those unbelievable dark lips. Just then, the tip of a pink tongue slipped out and licked over the full bottom lip. Pulling back in, leaving the skin shiny.

As Bond stepped closer, Q could feel his pulse rate jump. He could feel the warmth coming off the man’s body. The smell of cigarettes and mint. Bond’s cologne had a spice scent to it, then under it was Bond’s own natural scent. Masculine. Q’s mouth dried and he tried to swallow. Bond’s eyes flicking to the subtle bob of Q’s throat.

Bond stepped closer. His right leg slipping between Q’s legs as their chests grazed against each other. Bond’s bright blue eyes fixed on Q’s as the older man leaned forward and lightly kissed the young man’s mouth.

Bond heard the small whine of surprise from the young man, as he watched Q’s eyes slip closed. Bond pushed the kiss and pointed the tip of his tongue at the seam of Q’s lips.

Q’s traitorous body leaned into the kiss as his mouth opened to Bond’s request. The moan of pleasure escaped before Q could stop it. The younger man felt the agent slip his other hand around Q’s back. The palm spread out to pull Q closer to the hard chest of 007. Bond’s kiss was soft yet exploring. Tasting the man as Q twisted his head to submit to the agent’s ministration.

Bond growled at Q’s response. His dominate nature coming alive and wanting. He ended the kiss with a small nip to the young man’s lower lip.

“What was that for?” Q tried to ask, but his voice seemed weak as if lacking oxygen to speak.

“I was making a determination.” Bond said as he moved down to kiss the pale neck of the Quartermaster.

Again, Q’s body responded without his consent. His head tipping up and back, giving the agent better access.

“What determination?”

“I had a bet with 006 as to whether or not you were a human or a robot.” Q could feel Bond speak into his skin.

“Who won?” Q said, his body beginning to tremble in Bond’s embrace.

“I’ll let you know after further investigation.” Bond returned to kissing Q’s mouth. He pulled Q tighter as he felt the young man fall forward and into his body. Q was definitely straddling Bond’s thigh.

“And how do you plan to go about this investigation?” Q asked as the kiss ended.

“Dinner with me tonight. A posh restaurant with intimate dinning and conversation.”

Q pulled back and looked up into Bond’s face.

“Quite certain of yourself, aren’t you 007?”

“Yes, like I was about that pen. I saw you use it to write a note earlier. No explosives.” Bond smirked. “I’ll pick you up half of seven. Please be ready, Q. Must get you home before your bedtime.”

Q pulled further away from the agent. “Well, off you go to get your nap, old man. I will see you half eight. Don’t be late.”

Bond let the young man pull out of his grasp and step over to sit down at his desk.

“With pleasure, Q.”

He turned and opened the door of the office and left. He smiled as he walked out of Q Branch. Yes, it was a brave new world, and he planned on enjoying it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The expanded version of Brave New World. I hope you all enjoy it as much as the first chapter.

Bond returned to MI6 at half of eight, but Q was not going to be ready. As Bond drove across the Vauxhall Bridge, he saw the strobing lights of the emergency vehicles. Ambulances and police cars had blocked the roads surrounding MI6. Bond pulled his car over and quickly walked up to the confusion in front of the building. He could smell the acrid scent of smoke and watched as stretcher after stretcher were pulled from the lobby of the building and taken to the waiting ambulances.

Bond finally saw someone he recognized. Eve Moneypenny was standing near a black SUV speaking into her mobile. Bond marched over to her. She was speaking quickly to the person on the other end of the line as Bond looked her over. Her cream colored dress was streaked with soot and what could easily have been blood. Her forearm was cut and her stockings were torn. She was barefoot. In her hand she held her shoes. One missing the thin stiletto heel.

She turned to look into his face. Rapidly, she wrapped her arms around Bond’s neck and pulled him close to her. She was shaking and Bond let her bury her face into his coat, his hands gently rubbing her back.

“Yes, sir. I will have numbers for you when you arrive. No, sir, I don’t believe so. Bond is here now, I will inform him.” She looked down at her mobile as she disconnected the call. “That was M. There was an explosion.”

“WHAT?! WHO?!” Bond growled.

“It appears to have been an accident this time.”

Bond turned to look at the building. Twice now in three years, MI6 had been bombed; but Eve was telling him it was accident this time. He watched as people he worked with stumbled out of the building. People he knew and respected, covered in blood and soot from fires. Black smoke pouring from the external air vents to the outside. Firemen rushed into the building and more injured people came out.

“Q Branch.” Eve started to say, then fell forward into Bond’s arms. The mention of the department suddenly twisted Bond’s insides.

“What about Q Branch?”

“It happened in R and D. Something exploded. Took down Q Branch. At least four dead have been found.”

Bond held the woman’s arms tight.

“What about Q?”

“I don’t know. They haven’t found him yet. The most badly injured are coming from TSS and his office was destroyed.”

Bond let go of Eve and rushed to the doors of the building. Police tried to grab him and stop him, but he pushed passed. He rushed into the darkness and the smoke and shoved passed the people coming out. He made it to the stairwell and started running down the steps to Q’s department. The emergency lighting casting everything in shades of sickly yellow.

Bond made it to the remains of the department. The smoke was the worst down there. He could barely breathe, as he wondered over the debris and tossed furniture to the remains of Q’s office door. He made it to the door and looked into the office. A concrete wall had been blown into the room. The broken bits scattered across the room and buried the desk that five hours earlier he had seen Q sitting at.

He caught himself on the door jamb, coughing and gasping for air. Pushing himself off the wall, he tried to enter the room, but suddenly, he was pulled back. A fireman grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

“Let’s go!” the man shouted through his air mask.

“NO! I MUST FIND . . .” Bond gasped. The fireman pulled him further away.

“No one’s alive in there! We need to save you!” Bond’s mind was swimming as he started to lose consciousness from the smoke. He tried to fight the man, but couldn’t. The blackness rose up and surrounded him as the words replayed in his head. _‘No one’s alive in there.’_ That couldn’t be correct. Q had been in there. Q had to be alive. It wasn’t right to even consider such a vibrant man dead. No, Bond would be dead and Q would continue on, alive. Q was always supposed to outlive Bond. It was only right. Bond stumbled forward and into the fireman’s arms. He felt weightless and then he felt nothing.

~Q~

Bond woke with an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. He was laying in the back of one of the ambulances with Eve looking down at him. He sat up quickly, tearing the mask from his face.

“Whoa, James. Calm down.” Eve said softly, her hand resting on his arm. “Just slow down. There is nothing we can do right now but wait.”

Bond looked at her as if she had grown a second head. How could she ask him to wait? Q was missing and Bond needed to find him.

She gently pulled the oxygen mask from his hand and set it back over his nose and mouth.

“Lay down before the paramedics restrain you. If you promise to calm down, I’ll tell you what we know.”

Bond narrowed his eyes but nodded.

“Alright,” he said. “What happened? The complete story.”

“I know that there was apparently an explosion in R and D. Everyone in that room they have found so far is dead. There are twenty-four injured people, mostly from Q Branch. Q and R are still missing. Mallory is on his way here now.”

“Are we sure it was an accident and not another attack?” Bond considered the chances of someone else getting past Q and hacking into MI6 again, small.

“Mostly sure, but we won’t know for awhile. We need Q to know for sure and he has not been found. The minions who I’ve been able to talk to, say he was in his office when the explosion took place.”

Bond clinched his jaw before he spoke. “Q’s office is buried in rubble. The firemen said no one was alive in there.

Eve brought her hand up and covered her mouth. Her dark warm eyes, widened in fear. “NO!”

Bond pulled the oxygen mask from his face again and pushed her back, giving himself room to stand. He jumped down out of the back of the ambulance and looked around. He saw Mallory and Tanner walking up to him.

“Bond, were you in the building when it happened?” Tanner asked looking at the agent’s dirty clothing and soot covered face.

“No, I was trying to reach Q inside.”

“Any sign of him?”

“None,” Eve answered as she carefully climbed down out of the ambulance. There are five people still missing. Q and R are both on that list.”

“Alright, we’ll wait till we are given the all clear, then I want to find out exactly what happened and where my people are.

~Q~

It was twenty-one hours later before Bond was allowed to walk back into the remains of Q’s office. The connecting wall between Research and Development and Q’s office had collapsed and crushed the desk. The entire R and D department had been engulfed in flames right after the explosion and the remains of the room were blackened. Three more bodies had been found in the burned out rooms and R was found dead in Q’s office. But Q had not been found. He was still missing.

Bond looked at the destroyed office. The papers scattered across the floor, and the broken pieces of concrete crushing Q’s computer. Bond saw something flash in the lights and he bent over to pick it up. The thick black Mont Blanc fountain pen, Q had pointed at him the day before.

Bond rubbed the dirt and dust from the smooth cylinder. His thought shifted to the bravado of the young man as he tried to hold the agent at bay with the pen. The slight blush of Q’s face as they quibbled back and forth. The taste of their first kiss.

Bond squeezed the pen tight. This was not how it was supposed to end. An ending before there was really a beginning. Q was supposed to be safe in his department. It was deep with the protective walls of MI6. It was the guarantee of Q’s existence.

Bond slipped the fountain pen into his pocket and looked around some more. A clue and hint as to the whereabouts of the young man. Q could have disappeared into thin air. He had to be here somewhere. Maybe he had reached some cupboard or closet and had collapsed there. Unable to call for help. Maybe he was never in the office. The Minions having made a mistake as who had been in here and who had not.

Bond looked down at the carpet and stain of R’s blood. It was a dark pool in the institutional grade rug. The smell of blood layered with the smell of smoke and dust. Bond stood glaring at the spot when he felt the soft vibration of his mobile in his pocket. He slipped the phone out and looked at the text. Tanner was looking for him. There have been a development.

Bond rushed up the stairs to the man’s office. He knocked but didn’t wait to be invited into Tanner’s office.

“Have they found him?” Bond said as a greeting.

Tanner’s head snapped up as the agent rushed into the office. “What?! No. Other information has come in though. We may have this all wrong.”

“What information?” Bond asked.

“R was shot. She wasn’t killed in the explosion.” Bond’s head shook once, as he started to see the implications. “Q is missing, his department has been destroyed by an unexplained explosion and his second in command was murdered.”

“You can’t believe . . .”

“Yes, Bond. Mallory is considering that Q is responsible for all of it. That Q has defected and blew up MI6 as part of his plan to disappear.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Bond and Tanner walked through the halls of St. Mary’s Hospital. Twenty-six members of MI6 were had been injured in the blast. Most were already home with their families but Tanner wanted to interview those still in hospital who were closer to Q in rank.

Bond accompanied the man, trying to maintain his composure. He refused to believe Q was involved in blowing up his own department. Bond admitted Q was unemotional and practically robotic at work, but he refused to believe the computer genius would abandoned MI6 and his minions. He had never really talked to Q about his loyalties but he had seen Q risk everything to save himself and M when Bond had asked. The agent refused to doubt Q’s loyalty to MI6.

Suddenly, Silva’s face came to mind. The dedicated double ‘O’ who chose to destroy his beloved MI6 and kill M. Silva had been betrayed and abandoned by both. He set out to destroy both. Was Q just making sure he escaped first before the same thing happened to him? Was Q in flight because he feared MI6 and Mallory? Bond’s fingers twitched. He wanted to know what the young man was. He wanted to know if Q would agree to meet with Bond only to flee hours later.

Bond slowed his normal stride to match the steps of Tanner. The Chief of Staff being somewhat smaller than Bond took more measured steps as they walked down the brightly lit halls of St. Mary’s. Tanner was looking down reading the tablet in his hand. He was reviewing information from the investigation of the explosion.

Bond step up to the hospital room door and knocked sharply.

“Come in.” The young male voice said.

Bond opened the door and let Tanner step in first. Bond followed the man and looked over at the young computer geek on the bed. TJ, Bond remembered, one of the young people Q had insisted on when he took over. TJ was in his twenties and a recent graduate of Imperial. He looked even younger than Q. The fact that most of the new Q Branch looked like they had barely passed puberty caused the agent to start calling the department the ‘nursery’.

“Mr. Tanner!” TJ called out excited. The young man tried to push himself out of the bed.

“No, no, stay still.” Tanner smiled at TJ. “And please call me Bill. How are you doing?” He held out his hand for the young man to shake.

TJ took it and gave it a quick shake, then nervously looked over at the double ‘O’. “Sir.” He greeted Bond. Bond just nodded at him. The agent’s expression was neutral.

Bond’s eyes traveled over the young man taking in a quick assessment. The ginger haired boy was thin just like Q. He had a sprinkling of freckles across his nose and cheeks. His eyes were a watery blue and blood shot. The man’s left arm was in a cast as well as his leg. Cuts and abrasions were visible everywhere else on the boy.

“TJ, I need to ask you some question about the explosion.” Tanner started. The young man nodded and leaned deeper into his pillow.

“Sure, whatever you need.”

“Okay. It was 2130 that night. What do you remember?”

“Well, Q had just finished with 009 in Moscow. The mission was a success and we were closing down for the nightshift to take over. Q and R went to office. I think they said something about budget reports.”

“Did either one seem upset or worried?”

“No, Q was actually smiling for once. Granted, he was brassed off earlier, but by then he was smiling and I was like, really surprised. I’ve never seen him smile, well, except . . .” TJ looked over at Bond.

“When?” Tanner asked.

“Well, when Bond was in Rio last month. After you hit the man with your laptop and Q snapped at you. And you told him ‘he shouldn’t miss his naps because it makes him cranky’, Q smiled.”

Bond nodded. He remembered the exchange back and forth between them. Q had referred to Bond as a Neanderthal with no appreciation of technology and Bond asked if he was still being bottle fed or had he moved on to solid foods.

“Go on, what happened next?” Tanner urged the young man to continue.

“We were shutting down. I was putting my coat on when the fire alarms went off.”

“The fire alarms went off first? Before the explosion?”

“Yeah, I remember thinking what could have happened. I turned back to my computer and powered it back up. I was checking for the location of the fire when Q call out to me. I turned my head and saw Q stand up and moving to the door of his office. He was standing in the doorway when suddenly I saw a bright flash behind him. I panicked, I’m sorry. I heard the explosion and just fell to the floor and covered my head. There were more noises, small pops and explosions then more bright flashes. Next thing I know the department is filling with smoke.”

“Did you see R or Q?”

“No, just the firemen.”

“What firemen?” Tanner asked.

“The two firemen who were carrying someone. They were suddenly there. I saw someone over one of their shoulders and I thought I should get up and get out of there. I grabbed Margo and together we ran out of Q Branch.” TJ licked his lips. Tanner reached over and handed the young man a cup of water with a straw. TJ took a long drink.

“So the fire alarm went off first, then the explosion?” Tanner asked.

“Yeah, now I think about it. That was strange.”

“Why?”

“Well, there was a delay. Several minute delay between the two events.”

“Oh, how interesting.” Tanner said as he looked down at his tablet and started typing out on the screen.

“What is interesting?” Bond asked.

“Q had a Halcion Fire Extinguisher system installed in R and D. Only Research and Development as well as the hard copy file room has it. It has a ninety second delay on it. Once triggered anyone in those departments have sixty seconds to get out before the department is sealed and the gas is released. Oxygen is immediately replaced and the fire goes out almost instantly.”

“But if there was a delay?” Bond started. “Does that mean someone tampered with the system?”

“Yes, there are only four people who can shut the system down. M, Q, the head of plant maintenance and myself.” Tanner did not look up to answer. He was studying the information coming across his tablet.

“Could the system have been hacked like before?” Bond was hoping Q’s improvements were as perfect as he insisted they were.

“No, the system shows no sign of being hacked,” Tanner said.

“Q would know for sure,” TJ interrupted. “Have you asked him?”

Tanner and Bond looked at each other. Then Bond turned back to the young man reclining in the bed.

“You said Q was angry earlier in the day. What happened?” Bond asked.

“We had visitors. Two big blokes from NSA. I mean really, what do they feed these Americans?” TJ laughed.

“Describe them,” Tanner said as he knitted his brow.

“Well, one was twenty stone but all muscle. He looked like he could take on a whole rugby team. Black man. He never said anything just sneered at us. The other one was big too. Not as big. White. Reddish blonde hair and dark tan, with a scar on the left cheek, just under his eye.”

“Why were they there?”

“Villiers brought them in. He said it was something about multinational cooperation. Q was hot. He was angry no one had told him in advance they were coming. Villiers said it was for security reasons.”

Tanner nodded and smiled at the young man. “Where were they during the explosion and fire?”

“I don’t know. Q had Sydney escort them around. Have you asked Sydney?”

Tanner turned and looked at Bond. Both men knew Sydney Porter’s body was found in the wreckage that had been R and D. None of the dead were the two strangers TJ had just described. Bond twisted and looked back at the young red head in the bed.

“Are you sure you didn’t see Q or R after the explosion?” Bond asked again.

“Yes, are they all right?” The young man looked back and forth between Tanner and Bond.

~Q~

Q woke in the hospital room. Well, he thought it was a hospital room. It had pale blue walls and vinyl tile floors. The bed was definitely a hospital bed with scratchy sheets and a thin cotton blanket. Q felt like he had been hit by a truck. His head ached and his mouth was dry.

Q tried to reach up and touch the side of head, only to find his right forearm was wrapped in a heavy bandage down over his right hand. He went to lift his left hand and found it handcuffed to the bed.

Confused, Q blinked several times, wishing he knew where his eye glasses were. He tried to look around and see if he could identify a familiar looking burr of them resting somewhere close. He saw something black and thin on the bed side table and he gingerly reached for them with the bandaged hand. Finding his glasses he slipped them on and looked himself over.

Q was in a hospital gown and was indeed in a hospital bed. He had cuts and scrapes across his pale skin. The right hand look deeply bruised and now was beginning to hurt badly. The handcuffs were real and were restraining him on the bed.

Q reached for the call button and pressed it. The door quickly opened and instead of the nurse he was expecting, another man stepped in. The impeccably well-dressed man was average height, with dark hair and slight frame. He had incredible dark eyes, almost black and he seemed to weave slightly from side to side.

“Well, hello. You’re finally awake. How lovely.” The man said with a slight Irish accent.

“I’m sorry, where am I?” Q asked.

“Where I want you to be.” The man smiled back at Q’s confusion. “You will stay here for a few days, then when you are feeling better, we are going to have a wonderful long talk. No one told me how beautiful you are.”

Q blinked several times behind his glasses. He wondered if he was still unconscious or if this was some kind of drug induced dream.

“I’m sorry. What?!”

“Now, don’t worry. Jimmy is going to take very good care of you.”

“Who’s Jimmy?”                

“Why me? James Moriarty.” The stranger smiled back at Q.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment welcomed and enjoyed.


	4. Chapter 4

Milton Rogers was the least likely person to ever be taken for a MI6 agent. He had thinning auburn hair and a round face. His watery gray eyes were non-intimidating. He was average height and average build. He was just average, unremarkable and forgettable. For his completely unassuming persona, Milton Rogers was the best interrogator MI6 had. He did not force information from his subjects. He had others to do that. Brute force was not Rogers’ forte. He believed in subtly. The gentle push. And he was perfect at it.

Bond didn’t like the gentle push. It found it infuriating and time wasting. He didn’t think Q had the time to waste. Tanner insisted and now the two men stood in the observation room of Interrogation watching the feed from Rogers’ private office. Rogers, the head of the department, had covertly wired his own office for sound and visual recording, which he alone controlled. Only Tanner and M knew about the listening devices and now, Bond as he stood in the room watching. The agent wondered how many different members of MI6 had been questioned in Rogers’ office without their knowledge.

Villiers stepped into Rogers’ office. The tall thin man was everything one expected from a MI6 agent. He was handsome and sophisticated. He was educated and self-assured. He was elegant and ruthless. He walked in as if he was his own office and Rogers was the interloper. He walked right up to the man, sitting quietly behind the desk and glared down.

“Well, what is it?”

“Tobias, thank you for coming in.” Rogers smiled up at the man.

“I was ordered here. What is going on? Why am I here?” Villiers studied the man closely.

“Oh it’s nothing. I’ve been issued with the investigation into the explosion. I’m supposed to interview everyone involve. Please sit.” He looked away and shifted papers on his desk.

“Involved? How am I involved?” Villiers asked still standing looking hostile.

“It’s nothing, just back ground information on something I’m sure the stupid tech got wrong.” Rogers said without taking offence to Villiers’ anger. The taller man sat down and looked around the room. He considered where he was. If this was an official interrogation he would have been in one of the rooms set aside for questioning with hard metal chairs and recording devises. He wouldn’t be sitting in a well-appointed office with bookcases and soft upholstered furniture. Villiers nodded and relaxed slightly.

“What tech?” Villiers was trying to guide the interview.

“One of the ones from Q Branch said there were two visitors in R and D at the time of the exposition. He said you brought them down.” Roger was reading from a report as he talked.

“Oh, yes. Two Americans for NSA. They had just returned to my office when the explosion took place. They evacuated with us, but had to leave the next day for Washington. I ran their credentials and they were cleared. Call Matthews in Maryland if you have questions.” Villiers relaxed more. He was expecting this and had his cover story arranged.

“Matthews?” Rogers asked as he wrote the name down on a note pad.

“Yes, I can supply you with the contact information.” Villiers relaxed more. This was going to easier than he thought.

“Oh excellent. Thank you. You know this is just ridiculous of them to expect me to deal with this situation. I mean really, why am I wasting my time with investigating it.” Rogers said as he fell back into his chair sighing. Villiers smiled at him. “Everyone should have seen this coming with this new Q. So young, unproven. Just waiting for the opportunity to have this happen.” Villiers nodded his head in agreement. “What were they expecting? Now I have to spend my time interviewing everyone involved. Wasting my time, and yours.”

“M can’t honestly believe I was involved in the kidnapping can he?” Villiers asked.

Rogers forced himself to remain still. He didn’t want Villiers to know he had slipped. Bond and Tanner both heard the man say the word no one had mentioned. Kidnapped.

“I think M is not prepared to take over. I think he is out of his depth. They should have promoted from within.” Rogers said, forcing himself to ignore Villiers comment. “I mean you were up there in rank. You would have been a better choice than Mallory.”

“The old M was grooming me for the position but Mallory butted in.” Villiers’ voice dripped with animosity.

“Exactly. You should have taken over. Not this bureaucrat from White Hall. What were they thinking? Now, we have been attacked again and Q is missing. And we are wasting our time questioning each other when we should be out there finding the person responsible.”

Villiers felt he had found a comrade. Someone who understood his frustrations at being passed over for the position he had been trained for by the previous M. His anger at being ignored and forgotten in the transition from the old to the new.

He hated it all. The new staff, the new faces, the new Q and M. He was glad he was involved in the kidnapping. He was glad he had tricked them all. Rogers would appreciate what he had done. Rogers was just like him.

“It is stupid and a waste of time. If there is anything else I can do to help, just let me know.” Villiers stood up smiling.

“No, you answered my questions. It’s a moot point anyway. We have been able to trace Q to his location. He should be back here by the end of the day.” Rogers shuffled the papers on his desk.

“Oh, I didn’t know.” Villiers stopped.

Rogers looked up into the man’s face and scowled. “That’s what I mean. You are one of the best people we have working here and they have so compartmentalize, they keep people in the dark and waste resources. Yes, they found him. Tanner told me they are sending 004 after him right now.”

Villiers shifted on his feet slightly, but kept his face neutral. “That is great. Thank you for telling me.” He smiled and turned to leave.

“Not a problem Tobias, and thank you for answering my questions about the visitors.” Roger said as he stood. Villiers didn’t answer him as he quickly left the office. Rogers turned and smiled up into the camera just before he pushed the button and discontinued the recording.

“Alright Bond, go after him. See if he can lead us to Q.” Tanner said. Bond was already heading out the door before the man spoke.

~Q~

Q had been moved from the private hospital bed to a locked room. His glasses had been taken from him and the room faded out of focus and into a wash of water colored blobs. His captors had left Q pretty much alone. They had not asked anything of him and had not questioned him. They did keep the bandage on his right hand clean and dry. Checking it twice a day, but they had cuffed his left hand to a long chain. The chain was attached to the bed, Q was presently sitting on. Q’s back was leaning against the wall behind him as he closed his eyes and thought.

He had not seen Moriarty again after that first day he woke up. Now a few days later, he wondered what his captors wanted from him. Was he supposed to betray MI6 secrets, or help them with computer networks? Q’s greatest fear was he was up for sale. If Moriarty had captured him for a foreign power, Q would disappear and no one would find him for years.

Q remembered Moriarty’s name. He had remembered the famous trial, but had not really paid must attention after the verdict. Moriarty was in fact the criminal mastermind he had been acquitted of and apparently interested in Q. Q sat thinking of his options. Wondering how long it would take MI6 to track him down? Who would be coming after him? He thought about Bond. They were supposed to have had a date that night. Their first date. Q wondered if Bond was involved in finding him. A small part inside of him giggled at the thought of the lethal agent coming to his rescue. Although he would never admit to it, he enjoyed the thought of Bond kicking in the doors and shooting his captors before carrying him off.

The door of his cell opened and Q saw a large blob walking towards him. He sat still on the bed as he felt his glasses being gently slipped into place. Q blinked as his vision’s focus returned and he looked up into the face of the man. The man’s fingers slipping down from Q’s glasses and across the young man’s face. Q shivered at the intimate touch.

The man stepped over and grabbed a chair sitting in the corner of the room. He pulled it back in front of Q and turned it around backwards before sitting down facing Q, his arms resting on the back of the chair. Q studied his face. He was tall and broad shouldered with reddish blonde hair and a distinctive scar on the side of his face. Q remembered him as the man from NSA that Villiers had brought to the lab. Q had noticed earlier how scared the man’s hands were. He was used to doing hard work with them. He was tan and strong looking. His eyes were gray but dull. He reminded Q of an unsophisticated Bond. Lethal but unpolished.

“You’re more attractive than I remembered.” The man said staring back at Q.

Q pulled back further from the man and brought his knees up to chest, wrapping his injured arm around them.

“Who are you?” Q asked trying to maintain his distinctive posh accent.

Sebastian Moran, my friends call me Seb.” He smiled.

“Sebastian?” Q said softly. It was an unusual name. Old fashioned.

Q noticed how the man sitting in front of him reacted to Q saying his name. He inclined his head slightly and tightened his jaw. Q watched as the man swallowed and the corner of his mouth curved slightly.

“I like the way it sounds when you say my name.” Q felt his pulse jump. His adrenaline pushing him to run away as fast as he could, but the young man was trapped, chained to the bed. “I want us to be friends, good friends.”

Q blinked. He couldn’t believe this was happening. “You must be joking. You’ve kidnapped me and now you are trying to seduce me?”

Moran smiled broader, showing Q his cigarette stained teeth. “Yes.”

Q wanted to shutter at the direct answer, but he kept himself still. His eyes quickly darting around the small room for an escape.

“Don’t even think it. There is no escape.” Moran said obviously reading Q’s mind. “Jim will be coming in to talk to you soon. I want you to do whatever he wants, then I will take care of you. I’ll keep you safe. I won’t let Jim hurt you.”

Q swallowed, forcing himself to sound confident. “And if I choose to not cooperate?”

“Then I won’t be able to help you. Please, do as I ask otherwise it will be very unpleasant. You are too pretty to be damaged.”

Q heard a roar in his ears as the man spoke. He couldn’t decide if Moran was sincerely interested in him or if it was just a ploy to trick the young computer genius. Again, Moran apparently could read Q’s mind. He stood and moved to stand over the young man. He pulled the smaller man to his feet, lifting Q off the bed by the shoulders. Then Moran crashed his mouth over Q’s. The kiss the sloppy and abrupt. The young man tried to pull away only to have Moran force his tongue into Q’s mouth. Q grunted as the taller man moaned, lapping over Q’s tongue and teeth. The larger man wrapping Q tighter in his grasp. His interest in the young man evident by the hard bulge pressing into Q’s thigh.

Q panicked and tried to pull away. Moran broke the kiss as his hand reached into Q’s dark hair, pulling it tight. Forcing Q to look up into Moran’s face.

“Say my name again. Say it!” He whispered harshly.

“Sebastian.”

Moran reached down and bit at Q’s throat. Q’s body collapsed, falling into the bigger man’s grasp. Moran laughed darkly into Q’s skin, and let go. The young man fell back down on the bed.

“Give Jim what he wants, and then I’ll take you some place safe. I’ll keep you safe. Give you more pleasure than you can imagine.”

Moran reach over and took Q’s glasses from him before the young man could protest. The killer moved away from the shocked man and left Q alone, locked in the room and chained to the bed. Q pulled himself up and curled up into a ball, as his vision returned to the blurry world without his glasses. Q was shaking. He knew what was coming and it was indeed more frightening than he had imagined earlier. Q closed his eyes and whispered to himself.

“Anytime now, Bond, anytime.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a graphic murder in this chapter. Read with caution.

Tobias Villiers was an old school spy. He didn’t believe in team work or technology. Spies and spying were courage, intellect and ruthlessness. Not gadgets. Not saying gadgets didn’t have their place, but he was trained to survive on his own. To hide in plain sight and to take someone’s life as easily as saying hello to them. Rely on no one and trust fewer. He considered himself the perfect spy.

James Bond was of the same era as Villiers but Bond embraced the modern world while maintaining the romance of the old. He appreciated the skills of Q Branch and the changes the young Quartermaster instigated. Bond had no problems with Q speaking in his ear, telling him where to go and what to look for. He trusted the young man and trusted in his skills. Bond came to believe Q was corrected in his claim that the young genius could do more damage in pajamas on his computer before his first cup of Earl Grey than Bond could do in a year. Then again, Q knew it took the cool head and the experienced agent to know when to pull the trigger. But together, Q and Bond were the perfect pair, the perfect spy.

Villiers trusted only himself and Bond trusted his Quartermaster. His quartermaster trusted his minions. That was why Margo Laurie was presently speaking into Bond’s ear as the man tracked Villiers through the streets south of the river. Q Branch was still a burn out hull of itself, so Margo sat at the conference table in the executive branch. She had three separate lap tops open and was busily following the agents on the CCTV while hacking into any network that would aid them in finding Q.

Tanner and Mallory sat on either side of the young woman, occasionally glancing over at her. She was handpicked by Q. Plucked from the graduate students attending Imperial. Not MI6 material if you asked any of the executive branch. Margo was small, barely over five foot. She was overtly pale, as if she was using makeup to bleach out her skin tone. Her eyelashes were clumped heavy with black mascara and her lips were painted dark red, practically purple in color. Her dyed red hair was almost natural looking except for the shock of purple that ran through it. The short fingernails were lacquered with different colors and designs. She fit more into a coffee café than the inner workings of the British Secret Service.

She tapped rapidly on the key boards, glancing between the three screens. Occasionally, switching keyboards as she updated the feeds following Villiers and Bond. Villiers had abandoned his car off Brixton Road and was now on foot. Bond maintaining his distance but still following him.

“007, it appears he is walking towards Mostyn Gardens. He has rounded that same block twice and looking for his tail. Be careful. Take the next left and there are trees to the right you can seclude yourself behind.”

“This is a heavily populated area. Not the kind of area one would expect a kidnapped victim to be held.” Tanner commented.

“Perfect area. Construction as well as neighbors who wouldn’t be willing to get involved.” Bond said as he hid along Melbourne Mews.

“He is turning back up Mostyn Road again. Hold your position.” Margo said. She glanced over at one of her computer screens then tapped slowly through a list of names. “Sir,” she turned to Mallory. “One of the investors in the construction off Cowley Road in a Richard Brooks.”

“So?” Mallory asked.

“That name has been flagged by the Metropolitan as an alias for James Moriarty.”

Tanner leaned back and looked over at his boss. “Sir, the man who broke into the Tower and Pentonville.”

Mallory thought for a moment. “I thought he was dead. Suicide.”

“Conflicting reports. I’ll contact MI5 for the file.” Tanner rose and left the room. Mallory leaned forward again was watched as Villiers circled the block for a second time. The agent paused at Cowley Road, looking both ways then crossed over and onto the construction site.

“007?” Margo asked.

“I’ve got him. Going in.”

~Q~

Q did not like moving around too much in his lock room for fear of tripping and falling over something he couldn’t see. The loss of his glasses was causing him headaches and adding to his anxiety over being held captive. He spent most of his time sitting on his bed, the chain that kept him anchored to it was long but not long enough to reach the door.

He heard the turn of the lock; pushing himself back further on the bed, he blinked waiting for his visitor. Two people entered. One tall and blonde, one average height and dark haired. He could smell the expensive cologne and instantly thought of Bond. But the blonde shape didn’t give Q the impression of Bond.

“Hello again, my pretty.” The sing songy Irish accent cut through the small room and made the hair stand on the back of Q’s neck. Moriarty.

“Hello.” He forced himself to sit up straighter and speak calmly.

“It is time for us to have a little talk.” Moriarty waited as Moran pulled the chair over for the smaller man to sit. “My Seb has been pleading your case. He said you would be more than helpful and we won’t even have to dirty our hands. Is that right, Seb?”

“Yes, sir.” The blonde answered the man.

“What is you want exactly?” Q asked.

Moran stepped over and held out Q’s glasses for the young man to see. Q quickly grabbed them and slipped them on. He blinked several times as his eyes adjusted. The tension behind his eyes easing rapidly.

“Better?”

“Thank you,” Q nodded to the man.

“Good,” Moriarty continued. “I know exactly who you are. I have had several offers for you by various interested parties who are willing to pay an exorbitant price for Quartermaster.” Q swallowed back against the growing fear. “But Seb and I have discussed your value to us. You would be a wonderful addition to our little family.” Q’s glance left Moriarty and fleeted over to Moran. The blonde man smiled quickly then marshalled his expression. “I’m willing to allow you to stay with us if I have a guarantee of your cooperation.”

Q looked back at the man sitting in front of him. “You must know that is impossible.”

“Oh is it? I don’t know. If you agree to help me, provide me with information regarding MI6 and MI5 operations in drug interdiction and anti-terrorism, or anything else that pricks my fancy, then I will let you stay here in your beloved England and not sell you to individuals who will find more creative ways to gain your cooperation.”

“You know I can’t assist you.” Q said softly.

“You must reconsider that decision. I don’t want to make Seb force you to cooperate.”

Q refused to look up at the blonde. He fixed his stare at Moriarty. The dark haired man smiled.

“You are going to be so much fun.” Moriarty laughed. “I think I will enjoy watching Seb. You know he wants you. He wants to play house with you. I think I will enjoy forcing him to hurt you.”

Q noticed the larger man shift uncomfortably as Moriarty talked. Q could see the insanity playing in the dark haired man’s eyes. Suddenly, the sound of a military march music could be heard. Moriarty sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes, as Moran pulled his mobile from his pocket. He mumbled an apology as he looked at the caller id. He raised it to his ear to listen.

“This better be good,” Moran barked in to the phone. “Fucking arse. Send him in.” Moran disconnected the mobile. “He is here. Says he needs to see you.”

Moriarty stood and looked towards the door then back to Moran. “Bring him in here. Let’s see if we can use him to help our friend here make the right decisions.” Moran nodded and left.

Q sat quietly on the bed watching as Moriarty paced back and forth. The door opened again and Q saw the unexpected visitor step in with Moran.

“VILLIERS!” Q shouted as he stood, the chain dragging across the bed frame.

“Q,” the man smiled wickedly at the Quartermaster. He turned and addressed Moriarty. “Sir, you need to leave. They are sending a double ‘O’ here to retrieve the Quartermaster.”

“I should have guessed. You brought Moran into Q Branch. You planned this.” Q shouted at the man.

“Oh no, he didn’t plan anything.” Moriarty said stepping around behind Moran. “He wasn’t smart enough to do so. Otherwise he wouldn’t have led MI6 here.”

Villiers turned and glared at the dark haired man. “I didn’t lead anyone here. They knew you were here. 004 is on her way here now. Rogers told me.”

“Rogers? Milton Rogers, the head of your interrogation branch. You spoke to him?”

“Yes, why?” Villiers asked looking between the three men in the room.

“You idiot, he tricked you. That’s what he does. He gets your confidence then gets you to tell him things. He is perfect at it. You are worthless.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are to call me that?” Villiers roared at the man.

“I am the person who convinced you to betray your country. Who tricked you and used your pride to bring about your downfall.”

Moran pulled out a .45 caliber automatic from his shoulder holster and pointed right at Villiers’ face. The agent paled and stepped back.

“No, wait. I can still help you. I can be your man on the inside of MI6.” Villiers tried to plead as he raised his hands up in surrender.

“Too late. They probably already know you were involved. Besides, if I have the Quartermaster, I have the key to all of the British government. I don’t need you.”

Moran pulled the trigger. The noise was deafening in the small room. The back of Villiers’ head exploded out; blood and brain matter spattered across the wall behind Villiers and splashed back onto Q’s face. The young computer genius started shaking violently. He stumbled backwards and fell on to the bed.

“Now, Quartermaster, if I am willing to do that to someone who has helped me. Imagine what I am willing to do to someone who is being uncooperative.”

Q blinked. He could feel his stomach revolt and want to heave up its contents.

Moriarty turned to Moran. “I’m sure the idiot was followed. Find whomever they sent after him and bring them here.” Moran nodded and left. Moriarty smiled again at Q. The white teeth made the man look even more sinister. “I’ll let you dwell on it for a while.”

Moriarty left, following Moran out of the room. Q heard the lock slip into place and he was alone. Alone with Tobias Villiers dead body bleeding out on the floor.

~Q~

Bond had just stepped inside the newly refurbished building when he heard the gun shot. Quickly removing his Walther from its holster. Bond felt his pulse start to quicken as he threaded the silencer into the barrel. His senses heightened as he stepped slowly through the building listening for any other sounds.

“I have gunfire inside.” Bond said softly. Margo looked over at Mallory. The executive wrinkled his brow. “There are cameras and motion detectors.”

“Rather high end security given the neighborhood. There is door on the right.” Margo spoke calmly. “It is the electrical closet.”

Bond stepped further into the building. Margo was speaking in his ear, but he was ignoring her.

“007 acknowledge.” Margo said as she typed at her computer.

“Repeat”

“On your right, the electrical closet. You should be able to cut the camera power there.”

Bond glanced right at the wall. “There is no door on the right side of this hall. There are only doors on the left side.”

Margo typed quickly, then typed on another laptop. “Sir. The floor plans submitted for approval and permits doesn’t match the building Bond’s in. I can’t guide him through.”

Bond listened as Margo spoke to Mallory.

“Bond, we’re blind. You are on your own.” Mallory spoke loud enough for Margo’s mic to pick it up.

“Understand. If you don’t hear from me in half an hour send in the troops.” Bond said as he started down the hall. “I’m sure they know I’m here by now.”

Bond stepped covertly through the building, listening for any sign of Villiers. He followed the hallways deeper into the building, waiting for the attack. He bobbed his head around a corner to see two guards moving stealthily down the hall towards him. Just as he pulled his head back, they fired. The rounds embedding into the sheetrock behind Bond. The agent ducked down and extended his gun around the corner and fired. Killing both men quickly. He stood and rushed down the hallway to the next corner and repeated the bobbing around the corner looking for more assailants.

Moran watched on the CCTV of Bond killing his men. He hissed knowing the two disregarded his orders and walked down the hall without coverage.

“Good thing he killed them,” Moran grumbled under his breath. “I would shoot them myself for such a stupid move.”

The tall blonde turned and left the room. He knew exactly what to do.

Bond moved down the hall only finding one more guard, but this one was smart. He was firing at Bond but backing away too. Not letting the agent have a chance to return fire at a clear target. Bond followed the man deeper into the building listening for anyone coming up behind him. He could hear the guard speaking into his radio and muffled replies of someone else on the other end.

Next Bond heard the sound of the guard running down the hall away from the agent. Bond took off in a sprint after the man, into a narrow hall brightly lit with no windows. Bond paused briefly at the end of the hall and next to a door, so he could look around the corner before proceeding.

The door opened silently and Bond felt the muzzle of the gun at the base of his skull. The gun was quickly pulled backed and the owner stepped out of the room and into the hall behind Bond.

“You’re good, but too cocky.” Moran said. “Now, eject the magazine and toss the gun to the right.”

Bond did what he was told. Moran stepped closer and quickly and efficiently frisked Bond for any more weapons. He removed the ear wick and crushed it under his heel.

“Are you 004?” Moran asked.

“No,” was the only answer Bond gave.

“Well, Villiers won’t mind he got it wrong. The idiot.”

“Is he dead?” Bond asked slowly turning around to face the man. Moran was intelligent. He was back far enough away from Bond so the agent couldn’t attack him without giving away his intentions first.

“Yes. Shot him in front of your Quartermaster. Now, I will shoot you too.”

“At least let me see him before you do.” Bond said. He needed to play for time.

“Why?”

“A last request.” Bond slowly lowered his hands and forced himself to look calm. Bond recognized the killer look in the man’s eyes. He was trained and unaffected by the sight of blood. The man in front of Bond wouldn’t lose any sleep over killing Bond today. “A farewell to my love.”

Bond saw the man twitch. Moran’s eyes blinked then he regained his stoic stare.

“You know the Quartermaster personally?”

“Yes.”

“You just gave me a reason to not kill you. You should have kept your mouth shut.” Moran smiled and Bond wondered if he had over played his hand.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating has increased because of a torture scene in this chapter. Please know your triggers and respect them.

Q was sitting on the bed, looking down at Villiers’ dead body on the floor. He had heard the gun shots and wondered who and how many MI6 had sent. Q wondered what he should be doing. What should he do to help? He waited for the gunfire to get closer, but then it didn’t. Instead there was a prolonged silence. Q waited; his body tensing.

The door opened, and Bond stepped into the room. Q looked up at the agent and felt his heart rate increased becoming light headed. Almost giggly. Bond had actually done it. Kicked in the doors, killed the bad guys and come to Q’s rescue. Q leapt off the bed, smiling. Then Moran stepped in behind Bond with a gun pointed at the agent’s head. The hard knot sunk deep into Q’s gut. He marshalled himself to remain calm as the two men stepped closer.

“Well, who do we have here?” Moriarty asked following the two men into Q’s cell. Two more guards followed in flanking Moriarty. The dark haired criminal looked Bond over and smiled. “Lovely, quite lovely. You must be the one sent to follow Villiers.”

Moriarty looked down at the dead man and Bond’s glance followed Moriarty’s. Villiers’ body was pale as lividity had drained the blood from his skin. Bond hand twitched, eager to hold a gun.

“Sorry, he won’t be joining us for our conversation.” Moriarty kept talking. His voice making Q’s skin crawl.

Bond looked up and studied Q. He checked Q’s injuries, making sure they were all from the explosion at MI6.

“No, no I haven’t hurt our little guest yet. But you are going to help me convince him to join my little band of merry men.” Moriarty continued. Bond saw Q tremble slightly.

“What are you expecting me to do?” Bond asked, turning away from Q back to Moriarty.

“It is quite simple, your Quartermaster will give me the information I request or he will watch as Moran starts cutting bits and pieces off of you.”

Q swallowed. “Why would I care what you did to this man?”

“Because he called you his love,” Moran said. He looked over at Q, his eyes glaring with anger.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Q said trying to keep is voice indifferent.

“Then this will become tedious before we finish.” Moriarty sighed.

The two guards that followed Moriarty in, stepped around and grabbed Bond’s arms, pulling him over to the chair. They handcuffed him to the chair in front of Q. Moran put his gun behind his back and into his waistband. He stepped closer to Q and shoved the young man back onto the bed. Q grunted as he bounced on the mattress.

“Q, are you alright?” Bond asked.

“Yes.”

“Oh, that’s his name. Q?” Moriarty smiled. “Our friend wasn’t very forth coming with any information.”

“No, he wouldn’t be. I have always found him very unreasonable,” Bond said.

“And you of course will not be. Tell me, who am I addressing?”

“Bond, James Bond.”

“Well, Bond, James Bond, who are you to Q. Is it true you are the love of his life?”

Bond smirked and tipped his head to the side. “Never dated him once.”

“Mr. Bond is one of my agents. I always take care of my agents. Assure their safety.” Q said as he watched the anger color Moriarty’s face.

“You assure Bond, James Bond’s safety. Then you will tell me what I want to know or else watch him suffer,” Moriarty said.

Bond and Q looked at each other. The subtle minute head shake from Bond told Q what to do. Delay.

“You won’t get my cooperation by harming one of my agents.” Q looked up into Moriarty’s face.

“Oh don’t worry. What I plan on doing will cause excruciating pain without physical damage. So we can play all afternoon long. Besides . . .” Moriarty dragged his fingers through Bond’s hair. “I wouldn’t want to damage him beyond use. I’m sure he would be very pliant after I’m done with him.”

Q noticed Moran smile and Q quickly swallowed the taste of bile down. “What are you going to do?”

One of the guards left but returned quickly with a yellow, two and half foot long, flexible rod. There was a two prong end and a six by three by three inch box built into a handle with a trigger guard.

“I found this in my travels in all places Texas. It is called a cattle prod. An electric cattle prod. Imagine how powerful it would have to be to move those big animals around. About ten times more voltage than a simple Taser believe it or not.” Q noticed the two guards pale at the sight of the prod. “I use it to enforce disciple. Works wonders, doesn’t Seb?”

Q glanced up at the man who was now smiling. His cigarette stained teeth yellow behind the thin pale lips.

“I have modified it. It won’t damage tissue but will be excruciatingly painful.” At which point he touched Bond’s arm and pulled the trigger. The prod discharged and sparked across the two ends. The smell of burnt fabric filled the air as Bond shouted out in surprised pain.

Q could see Bond’s left shoulder was lower than the right and he was breathing hard. Moriarty laughed and touched the prod to Bond’s leg. The man fought to not scream but he was almost hyper-ventilating as he tried to fight through the pain.

“STOP IT! I WON’T HELP YOU IF YOU KEEP GOING!” Q cried out. He tried to stand, but Moran pushed him back down on the bed.

“GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF HIM!” Bond growled.

Moran punched Bond in the face. The man’s head snapping back from the blow. Then Moran punched Bond in the stomach. Q blinked as he saw blood trickle down James’ face from the split lip. Q pulled himself back together.

“I said I would not help you if you continue to harm my agent.”

Moriarty laughed softly. “But it is so much fun. Look how he squirms.” The mad man touched the prod again to Bond’s leg. The restrained man’s muscles constricted and he rocked back in the chair. Bond was panting hard, forcing himself to not cry out through the pain. Q was shaking as he watched the man suffer.

“You do that again and I will make it my life’s work to destroy you.” Q said.

Moriarty smiled at the young man. “As if you are in any position to do me harm. You are dull. Boring. Predictable.”

“At some point you will need my skills on a computer. Do you want those skills to work for you or against you?” Q continued.

Moriarty turned to look more closely at Q. The young man’s face was stoic and resolute. It surprised Moriarty. He smiled broader.

“Well, well, maybe you are not boring. If I stop electrocuting your pet, what will you give me?”

“Access to any network in the world. Every system, server, device, computer. All for your own perusal.”

“And if I continue?”

“The next time I am near a computer, I will lock you so far out of the information cascade that even the newspapers will be faster than you. I will destroy your network, your empire. I will see you will lose everything you own, legal and illegally. I will command drones from foreign counties to harass your every step. I will erase you from history and make you insignificant. You will have no peace, no power, no control. I will make insignificant.” Q’s voice hardened as he spoke. His eyes darkened and narrowed. “You will wish I had just pulled a trigger instead of what I am capable of doing to you.”

The men staring at the young computer genius saw the determination and honesty in his statement. Q was more dangerous than anyone else in that room. Moriarty finally realized what he had kidnapped.

“You agree to help me if I stop now?”

“Yes.”

“Q, no!” Bond hissed. Moran punched him again in the face. Q glared at the larger man as Moriarty sighed. The criminal pointed the cattle prod at Moran and discharged it. The spark across the prongs as it touched the skin smelled of ozone. Moran flew backwards and crashed on the ground, stunned.

Moriarty turned back to Q. He held the prod right over Q’s chest.

“You will not attempt to harm my network or myself.”

“I will not.” Q said with a knowing smirk.

Moriarty looked back and forth between Q, Bond and Moran. Slowly, Moran stood. Anger pouring off him as he glared at his boss.

“Get him out of here.” Moriarty nodded to Bond. “Quartermaster, we will be leaving in a few minutes. I don’t want to be around when MI6 arrives. When we are at our new home, both you and Bond, James Bond will be my honored guests. If at any time I think you are lying to me or harming me, I will let Seb deal with you and your agent.” Moriarty smiled at Moran. “Until then I’ll let Seb entertain you. I have promised him a prize and I believe you are it.”

Bond started to fight his restraints as Moran smiled like a predator at Q. The two guards grabbed Bond by the shoulders as they stood him up. Moriarty handed the cattle prod to one of the men.

“If he tries anything, use this on him. I will make arrangements.” Moriarty turned to leave as the guards dragged Bond out of the room. Leaving Q and Moran alone.

Q felt light headed. The confrontation between Moriarty and himself left him flooded with adrenaline. His skin tingled and his muscle twitched for release. Flight or fight. Q would make good every threat he had leveled against Moriarty. He knew he could. He only hoped Moriarty knew he could also be invaluable to the criminal too. That killing Q outright wouldn’t be an option after the threat.

Q bowed his head and rubbed his temples, forgetting the other killer in the room. It was a mistake. Moran pounced on him. Grabbing Q roughly around the shoulders and forcing their mouths together.

“You are mine!” Moran hissed. “MINE!”

Q tried to push the larger man back. Tried to free himself from the crushing grip. Moran growled and held on tighter.

“Jim will keep you now. He will give you to me.”

“I’m not a prize to given or taken. LET GO!” Q squirmed trying to break free.

“I knew you would give him what he wants. Now you will give me what I want!”

Moran bent down and bit at Q’s lips. Pushing his hand lower and into Q’s trousers.

                                                                                                                                         ~Q~

As expected, the guards underestimated Bond. The agent was slumped between the two men. Each man had their hands under his arms lifting him as the dragged him down the hallway; his shoes scuffing the floor as he was dragged. Just as they rounded the second corner and out of hearing distance from Q’s cell, Bond planted his feet and stood suddenly.

He shoved the man to his right, hard, into the wall. The guard bouncing his head against the plaster. Bond spun and kicked out at the second man. Snapping his knee backwards and forcing him to collapse onto the floor. Bond kicked at the man’s head. The solid landing telling the agent he had hit his mark. The guard groaned and fell unconscious on the floor. Bond kicked the cattle prod out of the man’s hand and down the hallway.

The first guard was up but Bond turned quickly and lowered his shoulder. He shoved his upper body into the man, pushing him back into the wall once again. The plaster cracking this time from the impact. Bond brought his knee up and jammed it into the guard’s abdomen. The man grunted as Bond kicked at his knees. Listening as he heard the loud crack of breaking bones. The guard’s cry of pain was cut off as Bond kicked again at the man’s head, knocking him unconscious as his partner.

Within moments, Bond had retrieved the key to the handcuffs and was free. He grabbed the cattle prod on one of the guns from the sleeping men. Bond took off running down the hall, back to Q’s cell.

~Q~

Q tried to force the taller man off him, but Moran was stronger and was enjoying himself too much. His right hand was massaging Q’s arse as his left arm held the Quartermaster tight to the blonde’s body. Moran had his tongue shoved down Q’s throat and was taking everything he wanted. Q whimpered and grunted as the man groped at him. Q’s heart was pounding, as he struggled to free himself.

Q saw a movement behind Moran as the blonde man stopped assaulting his mouth and went to bite at the younger man’s throat.

“Every fucking night I’ll have you.” Moran growled into Q’s neck.

Q saw Bond’s face looking around the corner of the door. He saw the cattle prod in the man’s hand and knew what he had to do.

Leaning over to whisper into Moran’s ear, Q said. “Why wait for night time?”

Moran pulled back and looked at him. His eyes dark with hunger and lust. Moran licked his lips and squeezed Q’s arse harder.

“What are you saying?”

“Why not now? Who’s going to stop us?” Q leaned back in the man’s arms to smile up at him.

“You little tease.”

“Just you wait to see what I am.” Q pulled further back. Moran letting the man slip from his grasp as Q started unbuttoning his shirt.

Moran smiled like a shark and pushed the young man back on the bed. Q bounced once then stilled himself.

“Let me see you naked. I want to run my tongue over your skin.” Q said trying to look seductive up at the man.

“Why the change of heart?” Moran asked as he started to unbutton his shirt.

“I know when I have lost and I might as well enjoy myself. You said you would protect me against Jim and give me . . .” Q licked his lips. “Pleasure.”

Moran growled and tore his shirt off his torso. His hands tangling in the cuffs. While he fought the cloth, Bond stepped up behind the man and placed the two prongs between Moran’s shoulder blades. Just as Moran started to turn to see what was resting against him, Bond discharged the cattle prod. The electric spark crackling across Moran’s skin. The smell of burning flesh and ozone. Q made sure he wasn’t touching Moran as he was electrocuted. The big man collapsing to his knees. Bond hit him in the back of his head with the butt of the gun. Moran groaned as he fell to the floor.

“Q, you missed our date.” Bond smirked.

“Well, I’ve been tied up.” Q lifted his cuffed hand. “Moran has the key.”

Bond found it quickly and freed the Quartermaster. They were just before rushing out of the room, when gunfire could be heard. MI6 had entered the building and was engaging Moriarty’s men. Bond pushed Q behind him. His arm wrapping protectively around the Quartermaster. Slowly and carefully, Bond checked the hall and pulled Q with him out and down towards the advancing agents. Within minutes, Bond and Q were safely being pulled from Moriarty’s hideout and in the back of a MI6 SUV.

The two men sat side by side on the seat as the car sped quickly through the streets of London. Bond looked down at Q’s bandaged right hand.

“Is it bad?” the agent asked.

“No, not really. Q Branch?”

“Gutted. Five dead, including R.”

Q was silent after the news. Bond reached over and took Q’s left hand, squeezing it lightly.

“Bond,” Q whispered.

“Yes.”

“Thank you.” Bond could hear the tension in the young man’s voice. Bond leaned over and gently kissed Q’s cheek.

“I wasn’t going to let you get out dinner that easily.”

Q twisted to look at the agent. Leaning forward Q kissed Bond’s lips. His tongue quickly swiping the agent’s lower lip.

“I promise you. I would never avoid a dinner with you.” Q smiled back as Bond wrapped an arm around the man’s shoulders and pulled him closer. Q rested his head on Bond’s chest and closed his eyes, finally able to breathe normally.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter to end the story.

Q was rushed into Medical to be examined. He insisted Bond was in greater need of attention than he was, but the staffs’ hesitant relationship with 007 meant the agent stood hovering over the Quartermaster instead of being looked at. Bond stayed within arm’s reach of the younger man during his exam. Even as he was undressed to check for injuries from the initial blast, Bond stayed close. Q blushed deeply as Bond guarded the movements of the doctors.

“You know I’m perfectly safe here.” Q said as he quickly grabbed a hospital gown.

“Don’t want you dashing out again before our date.” Bond smiled in return as he caught a glimpse of Q’s backside.

“I thought you would consider postponing it for a few days?”

“Not after what I’ve gone through today, no. I feel we need a quiet evening together, don’t you?”

Q looked up at him through his black eyelashes. “How quiet?”

“Dinner and simple conversation, Quartermaster.” Bond had his patented smirk on his face.

~Q~

Bond escorted Q back to his flat. Someone from MI6 had been by and aired out the small flat. The air was fresh and the rooms cleaner than Q remembered leaving them.

“Standard operational procedure. They made sure you didn’t leave any unauthorized paperwork or gadgets out for some civilian to find.” Bond explained.

Q looked around his flat. He didn’t realize until that moment how much he had missed the five rooms. While Q had been handcuffed to the bed at Moriarty’s hide out, he never imagined he would see them again. Now, as he stood in them, he couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else in the world. He felt himself becoming overwhelmed by emotion.

The agent closed and locked the door of the flat and carried the takeaway he had delivered into the kitchen. Filling the kettle with water, he set it down on the element and flicked the switch.

“Tea soon,” he said and he walked up to Q.

The young man stood still looking around the room. His arms wrapped tightly around his slightly shaking body.

“It’s difficult sometimes to come home, especially after a kidnapping.” James said as he stepped closer to Q.

“I didn’t think I would be coming back here. I mean, I hoped I was, I wanted too. If you hadn’t . . . if Moran had . . .”

“Don’t dwell on ifs, Q.” James stepped behind the man and wrapped his arms around Q’s waist. Resting his chin on Q’s shoulder, he spoke softly. “You’re back and safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“You knew I would feel like this, didn’t you? This delayed fear and anxiety.”

“Yes, shock, it’s common.”

“I’ll have you know Bond, nothing is common about this situation.” Q spun in the man’s grasp. The two looked at each other. The bright ice cold blue eyes staring into the warm soft jade of Q’s. “What now? They both got away didn’t they?” Bond nodded. “How long will I be worried they will come back after me?”

“I think Moriarty may cut his losses, but Moran scares me more. He is a trained killer. He is proficient and has a goal.” Bond paused and took Q’s face in his palms. “I won’t let him near you.”

“You think Moriarty will back down after the threat I made?”

“I think he will want you to forget about him. Moran won’t.”

Q nodded again and rested his head on James’ shoulder, closing his eyes.

“What should I do?”

James leaned down and kissed the mess of dark curls.

“We should eat. Then you are going to take a shower and go to bed. Sleep. Tomorrow, we’ll rebuild.”

Q nodded again. “Will you stay, please?”

James kissed Q’s forehead. “Yes. Here, something to concentrate on.”

Bond pulled Q’s fountain pen from his pocket. He held it out for the man to see. Q took it and stood up straight looking at the thin black cylinder. A quizzical look crossing his face.

“I like your idea of a poison pen. Very symbolic. The pen being mightier than the sword. It might be a good person defense weapon for MI6 executives, like yourself.”

Q smiled, and wrapped his arms around Bond’s neck. Placing a quick chaste kiss to James’ lips, Q said.

“You just want one for yourself.”

“No, I think I want something better.”

James pulled Q close and kissed the young man again. The kiss relaying the promise that James would be there to keep the young man safe. That it would be better and soon. A kiss of promise for things to come.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are like candy and I feed on them.


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